We all wish that our finances were in better shape but it seems like a lot of hard work. There are plenty of ways that you can save money and fund your dreams, but a lot of them require big lifestyle changes. In some cases, that’s unavoidable and if you want to secure your financial future, you will have to make some sacrifices. 

Image From Pixabay CCO License

However, there are some great ways to save money without really doing much at all. It might sound too good to be true but not every money saving tactic requires a huge amount of input on your part. These are the best ways to save money with minimal effort. 

Use Cashback Apps
When you’re shopping online, you can save money without lifting a finger if you use cashback apps. There are some great apps like Checkout Saver which you can add to your web browser. They automatically give you cashback on purchases and search for coupon codes and discounts. It takes seconds to download an extension, it’s completely free, and you’ll make big savings without having to manually search for discounts. If you don’t use cashback apps, you’re wasting money whenever you shop online.

Learn To Invest 
Putting your money into a savings account is always sensible, but it won’t grow that much. If you really want to be better with money, you should learn to invest. A lot of people don’t consider investing their money because they think that you have to be an expert and it requires constant input from you. However, if you put a chunk of money into a relatively safe stock and let it sit there, it will gradually grow over time. You don’t need to do anything with it and you’ll earn a lot more than you would if you left it in a savings account. Check out this beginners guide to stock investing if you haven’t considered it before. 

Automate Your Finances 
Automating your finances is a brilliant way to stay on top of your money and avoid financial disasters without having to lift a finger. It’s a lot easier to build a healthy savings account if you set money aside as soon as you get paid. So, set up a standing order so it goes in automatically and you don’t have to think about it. 

You should also use direct debits to pay your bills as often as possible. Missed payments lead to late charges and they negatively affect your credit rating. This means that you’ll pay higher interest rates on loans in the future when you buy a house or a car, so you’re wasting money long term. You can avoid that by setting up direct debits for all of your bills so, as soon as your paycheck goes into your account, all of the bills are paid and you’ve contributed to your savings. Then, even if you blow everything that’s left, your finances will still be in good shape. 

Saving money is tough and it does require hard work. However, these are all great ways to improve your finances without lifting a finger.